The Sketch Book
by MorbidRobin
Summary: Ace and Marco are very close. They cuddled a lot. So what if Marco trailed kisses across his back just so he could hear the moans of appreciation? They never went beyond that and actually had sex... except once. Okay, maybe twice. Okay, maybe Marco has lost count. It wasn't like Ace was his lover or something. (Modern AU, MarcoAce oneshot fluff)


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A/N: I know I'm supposed to be working on 'That Men Do' fic, but this plot bunny came and I couldn't resist!

Summary:

So yeah, Ace and Marco were very close. They cuddled a lot. So what if Marco trailed kisses across his back just so he could hear the moans of appreciation? They never went beyond that and actually had sex... except once.

Okay, maybe twice. Okay, maybe he's lost count.

It wasn't like Ace was his _lover_ something. It definitely wasn't like that.

Pairings: MarcoAce, Implied Thatch/Izou.

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The Sketchbook

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Marco was worried.

Thatch and Izou were coming during the weekend to visit him in his new apartment for the first time ever.

There was nothing wrong.

The thing is, a year ago, Marco got a beautiful apartment close to Grand Line University. He was majoring in Business Administration while Ace was in Fine Arts.

But that wasn't the problem.

The problem was he hadn't told his family that his childhood best friend, whom he _definitely_ did not have a crush on, was currently living with him.

That is, Ace had gone from spending most of his nights sleeping on the couch to living with Marco.

So yeah, Ace and Marco were very close. They cuddled a lot. So what if Marco trailed kisses across his back just so he could hear the moans of appreciation? They never went beyond that and actually had sex... except once.

Okay, maybe twice. Okay, maybe he's lost count.

Ace doesn't talk about it, so neither will he. He doesn't want to ruin great friendship and company with Ace.

It wasn't like Ace was his _lover_ or something. It definitely wasn't like that.

Yeah, Marco definitely had nothing to hide.

The landlady, Nami, who's close friends with Luffy, doesn't seem to believe him one bit.

Anyways, so the reason why the blond is, for the umpteenth time, frantically cleaning the his room, Ace's room and the spare guest room is because Izou is nuts about hygiene.

He is _definitely not_ hoping that his brothers buy the bull that Ace simply spends a lot of nights at his place.

His heart is also _definitely not_ in his throat when Ace walks in with Thatch and Izou. The first thing Ace does is show them the art of "his" room. It is a deep sea blue with hues of yellow and orange, a colour that permeates the walls, the floors, the door of the room.

Marco has seen it so many times and its beauty doesn't wane or waver.

Ace's growling stomach takes them all out of their trance and Marco orders pizza. They sit down and talk about nothing to everything. Ace shows them his treasured sketchbook art collection and Izou fails for the umpteenth time, to get Ace to do fashion design instead.

Pizza arrives and they spend the night watching action movie reruns. Ace falls asleep first and Marco carries him to his room, his brothers pretend not to see the obvious love and fondness in his eyes.

Thatch was next and he retired to the guest room. Izou followed, blushing from Marco telling him that the walls have ears.

Seeing that everyone had finally gone to sleep, Marco unconsciously goes to Ace's bed, snuggles in the warmth and falls asleep.

Surprisingly, Thatch and Izou leave first thing in the morning before Marco woke up. Marco wonders why.

Ace is up before him and Marco feels a headache coming on when Ace tells him he couldn't find his sketchbook.

He calls Izou.

"Izou," Marco says to the phone, which was currently on loudspeaker so that Ace could listen in, "Did you take the sketchbook?"

"Did you sleep on your bed last night, Marco dear?" Izou sing-songed.

"Wha-?"

"'Cause if you did, honey, you would have known that the sketchbook was under your pillow."

Marco barely had time to formulate an answer when Thatch cut in.

"Congratulations! Took you two long enough! Oyaji would like to invite you both for dinner sometime."

He's too shocked to respond and then he looks at Ace only to be met with a smile so bright, the brightest smile he had ever seen and it dawns on Marco that maybe, just maybe, his feelings have never been one-sided afterall.


End file.
